According to John Ackermann, a respected figure in South Africa’ s cold chain and refrigeration community, the national response is characterised by mounting anxiety and a lack of foundational data.“ There is concern,” Ackermann says,“ and it’ s because we don’ t know what we don’ t know.”
The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol requires countries to phase down their use of hydrofluorocarbons( HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. South Africa, as a signatory, is legally bound to begin implementing refrigerant quotas and restrictions in 2026— just over a few months away.
A central issue, Ackermann explains, is the absence of reliable national data on sectorial refrigerant usage.
“ Where do we use refrigerants? How much? Who’ s using them? Getting proper statistics is like trying to go to the moon on a pair of roller skates,” he says bluntly.
Despite the longstanding presence of the sector— spanning retail, logistics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and more— there is no comprehensive refrigerant database. This will make quota allocation under Kigali’ s rules nearly impossible without guesswork.
He points to the need for accurate emissions equivalency, since a quota system will be based on the CO₂-equivalent tonnage of refrigerants. Companies will need to manage their imports based not just on volume, but on the global warming potential( GWP) of the refrigerants they import.
“ If I import a low-GWP refrigerant, I can bring in a larger volume. If I bring in a high-GWP one, I’ m limited. And once I hit my quota, that’ s it— I can’ t just import more unless I buy from someone else,” Ackermann explains.
This system incentivises lower-GWP refrigerants but demands tight regulatory
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control and robust monitoring mechanisms— two areas where South Africa can learn from past experiences.
South Africa phased out CFCs smoothly ahead of the time frames set by the Montreal Protocol. Currently South Africa is in the final stage of the phase out of HCFCs as set out in the HPMP formalised in the Government Gazette of 8 May 2014. Refrigerant importers are familiar with annual quotas, applications for import permits and the requirement of annual consumption reports.
All these experiences will be of value in the implementation of the Kigali Amendment.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK LAGGING
Kigali implementation in South Africa will require formal regulations, similar to the HCFC Phase-Out Management Plan( HPMP) of May 2014 and:
• Import permits
• Quota allocations
• Monitoring and reporting systems
• Legal enforcement mechanisms
Ackermann notes that these rules still have to be gazetted, as was the case with HPMP. That process involved controlled quotas and detailed record-keeping, but even then, compliance proved difficult.
“ With Kigali, the complexity is much greater. And unlike with ozone-depleting substances, this time we’ re talking about climate change. There’ s a lot more at stake.”
He’ s also concerned about a flood of‘ solutions’ coming to market— refrigerant alternatives, equipment upgrades and conversion kits— many of which are not properly vetted.“ There’ s going to be an explosion of claims:‘ Use this, it’ s safer’, or‘ This refrigerant has lower environmental impact’. The industry will be flooded with opinions. But
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which ones are credible?” Despite the current disarray, Ackermann remains cautiously optimistic— provided that industry and government move quickly and collaboratively.“ We’ re not alone. Other countries are facing the same issues. But we need leadership, transparency and coordination now— not six months from now.”
The Kigali Amendment is more than just another regulation— it’ s a global climate commitment. For South Africa, it’ s also a wake-up call. Whether the country rises to the occasion may come down to how well it learns from its past— and how clearly it sees its future, says Ackermann.
Roleplayer users of refrigerants are best advised to assess the mass of installed refrigerants they have, the type and age of plants to plan for the phased down of HFCs and the expected increase in refrigerant prices. In the
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design of new installations, in-depth consideration needs to be given to the total carbon footprint, commonly referred to as TEWI which also considers the carbon emissions
John Ackermann, founding chairman of from the SARDA( Southern African Refrigerated power Distribution Association) and editorial
generation consultant to Cold Link Africa. needed to run the plant over its economic lifespan. CLA
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Image by © Cold Link Africa
Image by the Gazette
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